Green Apple
by WittchWay
Summary: HPSS slash, Harry goes evil,Over the summer HP seeks revenge on those he sees as responsible for his godfathers death… Snape watches with fascination as Harry gets his revenge.
1. Green Apple

Disclaimer: Credit JKR. Character Deaths. HP/SS, implied male/male relationship, violent. Not beta, (But if you're interested let me know) English is not my native language, please excuse errors. This story is basically finish, just working through a few finishing touches. This should post regularly.

Summary: Harry Potter takes revenge on the _ones_ who caused his Godfathers death. HP/SS

Green Apples

By WittchWay

Impressions received in childhood cannot be erased from the soul… _Frederick the Great_

Harry Potter leaned out his upstairs bedroom window watching the golden glow of streetlamps flicker to life. They were late turning on, not that there were many left to turn on, Dudley and his gangs slingshot had taken care of that earlier in the week. The street was dark otherwise, no headlights, no house lights except the flickering of televisions behind closed blinds.

Personally he was glad the lights were out. It would only work to his advantage tonight. The less light the better, less chance of being spotted by one of the nosy neighbors peeking out the window.

Harry grinned as his cousin Dudley Dursley's poked his head out his own window just a few feet from Harry's. Dudley lit a cigarette, blowing a grayish haze of smoke rings up into the air. Smirking Dudley took another drag and leaned over offering the smoke to his cousin whom accepted it readily. Harry brought the filtered tip to his lips taking his own drag.

Dudley grinned and lit another. It had become a habit as of late, the two cousins leaning out the window smoking, no talking, simply watching the night become darker as it settled around them, watching Hedwig in the distance, a white ghost against the nights sky, soaring, stalking and the final descent as she went in for the kill. Harry couldn't help but be proud of her and her beauty.

Harry took another drag, shaking the ash free, he watched it swirl to the ground outside their windows, the ground littered with cigarette butts and twisted packages from pervious nights. He would have to remember to clean it up tomorrow when he was out in the garden…least his uncle find out. He would be the one in trouble not Dudley.

Harry sighed. His eyes narrowing in the dark, watching for any sign of moment on the street. He had wondered repeatedly over the summer if the Order was still following him. He had seen neither hide nor hare of anyone.

He had tried asking in his letters to Ron but in a rather sly way and Ron either couldn't say or didn't pick up on the hints… Harry rather thought it was the later. But no news from his friends were getting to be a weekly occurrence, Hermione was still at home with her parents vacationing, and Ron couldn't say where he was but from his letters Harry gathered they were at the borrow.

What news he did get from his friends was of no significant, the same could be said for the Daily Prophet not a thing of importance regarding Voldemort, besides there initial statement that he was back and to be careful. The only thing that had been of any importance had been a small blurb, _on his sixteenth birthday none the less_, that confirmed Sirius Blacks life orb had been extinguished and was now confirmed dead… nothing about him being a wanted criminal, nothing about his escape from Azkaban….

Not that it mattered what they said cause Harry had every intention of clearing Sirius Blacks name even if it was posthumous.

"Want another," Dudley held up the red and white pack, pulling out another for himself.

Harry shook his head and sighed, he really had to get going, it was already later than he had intended. His rucksack sat on his trunk ready to go. His bed already made to look like he was a sleep in it. With any luck he would be home by morning, a little tired but his mission accomplished. Harry rubbed the stub of his cigarette out on his windowsill and flicked the butt out into the yard. He rubbed the marring black soot with his thumb and wiped the grime off on his pants and pulled his head back in the window. Leaving the window open, he pulled the curtains shut, so his owl could come and go as she pleased tonight.

Running an already tired hand through his hair he sat on the edge of his trunk and began tucking his shoelaces into his shoes.

Tomorrow would be a tough day on two accounts. Because of what he was about to do tonight and the second part being the reaction of what he had done.

Not that he was going to regret what he was about to do. How could he? Sirius was dead and it would be only right. He had lost another link to his parents, a person he had looked to as a parent, as a brother, family. Another life extinguished because of his battle with Voldemort

Sitting up Harry pulled the battered notebook toward him. Laying the chewed up pencil between the pages of the blue notebook, letting his finger drop down to lazily traced the crude drawing he had done earlier in the week of a house-elf. Harry smiled tapping his fingers on the page lightly. He had never been one for a journal of any sorts, but lists seemed to be his thing, list of what he needed for school, subjects he wanted to look up in Hogwarts library, lists of those responsible for Sirius death.

… Though revenge was not something he had thought often of in his short life, it was all he thought about now, how could he not when so much had been taken from him...

Sometime over this summer he had realized the need for revenge and looking back on his sixteen years in this world and all he had been through, all his anger and frustration, his restlessness, his need to be part of the war effort and yet being held back by the powers that be…… and all that time the need for revenge was sitting there right before him simply waiting to be recognized.

And he had…

He realized life was suddenly so much more than just about staying alive or about going to school… It was about good versus evil… _a_ _cliché but still true_. Life was about death eaters, the general wizarding population that had doubted him, thought him a liar, about his fellow students that would soon need to choose sides, not that _some_ hadn't already…. And In that list of them versus us, good versus evil, love versus hate was plain and simple _revenge_.

Oh Harry understood revenge itself was tricky at the best of times… Revenge if it was to be avenged or if one was to gain even a morsel of satisfaction from it needed to be done swiftly. Guilt free… actions you could live with. So much work had to go into planning your vengeful actions. Planning, in some cases training, scheduling… hence the simple muggle notebook, the lists, the thoughts, plans, and soon to be actions. He like to think of it more as a book of strategy… but for most of all Harry Potter thought he was ready to take his first action towards getting even. _For his Godfathers sake_.

After all there were those that were seeking revenge on him… Voldemort for one, for not dying the first time, for vanishing the dark lord himself for twelve long years. The Death eaters and there was more than one death eater that wanted revenge on him and he on them, for defeating their master time and time again. Severus Snape sought reprisal for something his father did as a teenager… it was revenge in its own way. Perhaps there were others… though Harry could think of none, but he knew there were more seeking revenge.

Now it was Harry's turn to seek out his own revenge. Revenge toward Voldemort for forcing a cruel life on him, for the loss of his parents, justice for Cedric Diggory's death _which should never have happened_... and then of course revenge dictated towards those that had led to Sirius Blacks death…never mind the pain still so fresh in him mind, in his heart.

Harry knew his part in that death, knew his part well. He had foolishly dragged his classmates half way across the country to rescue someone whom did not need rescuing. He was not unaware of the irony in the whole situation. But there was still revenge to be had, revenge on a treacherous house-elf Kreacher, revenge on Bellatrix Lestrange for killing Sirius, for his fall through the veil, Lucius Malfoy for contemptuous behavior toward Harry, taunting him…. Voldemort for luring him to the Ministry under false pretenses, and last Severus Snape. That was a death he was looking forward to, Snape for taunting Sirius, for badgering him, talking down to him, teasing him with childish torments. The final straw being that look the potions master had given him in Umbridge's office last school year, that look alone was worth his death, that day he had called out that Padfoot needed help and all Snape had done was glare at him, his black eyes showing no sign he had understood.

Harry snorted and closed the notebook. Pulling a handful of rubber bands out of his pants pocket he began twisting them around his notebook. Placing it in his rucksack he stood and slung it over his shoulder.

He was already dressed casually in blue jeans and a T-shirt that Dudley Dursley had worn as a six-year-old that now fit Harry as a sixteen-year-old just fine. Tonight was his night to seek his first retribution of revenge

Till this moment he had simply been bidding his time but that time had finally come, tonight he could place the first course of his plan into action. Tonight he would retaliate on at least one of those souls. It was a trial run if nothing else, tonight he would avenge Sirius's Death… He was going to seek revenge on those that had betrayed his family starting with the weakest link, the nasty vile house-elf Kreacher…others would follow soon enough.

Harry stood and listened to the quiet of the house, soft snores of his uncle echoed down the hall. The faint chatter of the television as his aunt Petunia listened to it from bed, the beeps and clicks of Dudley in the room next door playing video games, the frustrated sounds of a game controller being tossed across the room and then the game restarting. Harry nodded his understanding Resident Evil 4 had that affect.

Harry stood and moved casually to the window, looking out over the dark night of number 4 Privet drive from the advantage point of the second floor.

Harry listened again for any strange noises and when none were forthcoming moved silently to his bedroom door. He looked a final time around the room for anything that might be of use to him tonight. Seeing nothing, He turned the knob slowly though didn't open the door, the beep of the game and then Dudley stomping around his room, cursing under his breath as his game didn't quite go the way he wanted, Harry flinched, grinding his teeth he opened the door. Sticking his head out into the dark hall and waited. Nothing stirred, he moved swiftly down the stairs, jumping the bottom step and stumbled into the kitchen and quickly stopping the door from swing back and forth.

The kitchen was dark except the bluish gloom of the time on the microwave. Harry moved to the small chopping block by the stove and opened the drawer but as he did so the kitchen door swung open revealing the large round shape of his cousin Dudley. Harry stilled his hand still in the open drawer, rucksack still upon his back.

Dudley flicked the light switch on and smirked, showing no surprise at his cousins already in the kitchen.

"What'cha doing?"

Harry bit back a growl, ignoring his cousin he continued to rummage around the cutlery drawer.

"Where are you going?" Dudley crossed his arms leaning back against the counter, nodding toward the backpack.

Harry Potter looked up long enough to acknowledge Dudley's presence but not enough to answer or stop his actions. He pulled the small cleaver from the drawer. He smiled, it was the knife his aunt used when she was mad at Vernon Dursley, the knife that let him know she was mad, the knife the cut swift and sharply and banged loudly on the cutting board and usually resulted in the couple going out to dinner the following night. Harry balanced the weight in his hand, spun it once, touching the tip of it to the ball of his thumb. A small prick of blood pulled to the surface.

"Where you going?" Dudley repeated a little louder, eyeing the knife in his cousin's hand.

Harry pulled the rucksack off his back and placed the knife inside, "I have something to do. I'll be back by morning."

"What could you possibly have to do. You don't know anyone here," Dudley challenged.

Harry smiled, it was true enough, he had been away for the last 5years and hadn't been very popular in primary school.

"Why you taking that?"

Harry slung the bag on to his back and pulled his wand from his pants pocket, "None of your business _cousin_." He took a small amount of pleasure as Dudley flinched at the sight of his wand. He gave it an extra wave, though he had no plans to use it, he couldn't risk the Ministry finding out or Dumbledore, not tonight.

He moved swiftly toward the back door.

Dudley grabbed his arm, threatening, "I'll lock the door after you… then they'll know that you went out. You'll get in trouble. "

Harry turned, a lock of his wild fringe falling in his green eyes, narrowing and sharp looking, Harry stepped forward, causing Dudley to back up. "You want to know where I'm going _Dudders_," he hissed, "I'll tell you… I'm going to commit murder _Big D_. I'm going to take your Mums cleaver and kill with it. Then I'm going to wash the _cleaver_ and ditched it along the way, " Harry moved closer, "Any questions?"

Harry yanked his arm from his cousins' grip and turned toward the door.

"I'm coming with you."

TBC…

Review please


	2. Green Apple

Disclaimer: JKR gets credit. HP/SS

Green Apple

By WittchWay

Shocked, Harry turned to protest but Dudley Dursley was already pulling on his light summer jacket, the one that kept off the chill of the late hours. Harry smirked as a dark gleam caught in his cousin's eye, he hated to admit it but he could use the muscle to back him up… _just this once_. After all his cousin was excellent bully, forever fighting, Harry snorted, Dudley was his Crabbe and Goyle rolled into one, muscle and brute strength with out the brains.

He knew house elf's had their own source of magic. Though Kreacher was quite an old house-elf he had no real idea how strong an aging house-elf's power was. After all he was still an underage wizard, not allowed to use magic outside of school, all he had was his own strength and that of the cleaver.

Harry looked to Dudley, his chest puffed out, the longing for a good fight hungered in his eyes.

Harry nodded, "But you have to listen to me Dudley, I'm in charge… no funny business." Harry nearly groaned how often had his uncle said the same thing.

Harry pulled the rucksack onto his back and went out the side door, his cousin on his heels.

"I have to go get something out of the garage first, I'll be right back." Dudley ran off toward the back of the house, Harry pulled his invisibility cloak from his pack and waited.

Dudley returned a moment later carrying a cricket bat with him. "Its not like I have a wand." Dudley remarked at the questioning look his cousin gave him.

Harry shrugged, it was probably best he had his own defense, after all he had his.

Harry shook out the cloak, pulling it over his body leaving his head hanging in mid air, Dudley backed up gasping like a fish out of water, "Still coming" Harry smirked.

"You can't use magic…" Dudley started, raising the cricket bat.

"Invisibility cloaked, it will hide us both… You don't have to if you don't want." Harry started to pull the silvery material over his head.

Dudley reached out a hand, feeling the water like material. "No, I'm coming."

With both boys under the cloak is was a slower walk but they made do, crossing the street and kept walking toward Wisteria Walk and the Play Park just beyond that.

As they neared the play park Harry pulled the cloak off of them and looked around. As far as he knew members of the order were still following him, He couldn't risk being caught by them… not tonight. Folding the cloak into a small square he shoved it into his sack and looked around again. He reckoned that if any member of the order had followed him they would have protested him being out this late by now.

Harry turned jumped the small stone wall that lined the Play Park and crossed to the far side. He stopped just short of the exit and held out his wand arm and stepped back.

A large boom sounded loudly through the neighborhood, rattling windows along the street. Harry took another step back as the Knight bus arrived. Dudley coward behind Harry the cricket bat raised in defense mode. He eyeballed the violently purple bus with gold letters declaring the name of the bus on the windscreen.

"You don't have to go big D," Harry said, still unsure if he should allow his cousin to come with him, "But the bus is the quickest way, its safe and all. We'll be taking it there and back."

Dudley nodded but didn't move.

"Neville," Stan Shunpike shrieked, "good to have you back …two of you are there. You'll have to double up, full ride tonight."

Harry nodded digging through the rucksack for his money pouch, "You coming D."

Dudley Dursley nodded again, lowering the bat somewhat.

Harry boarded the bus taking his a seat on the only available bed, Dudley sat next to him, his back to the side of the bus, his eyes narrowed as he took in the strange surroundings.

"Where to Neville,"

"Kings cross station." Harry handed over the wizarding coins (21122 sickles) for the two of them and leaned back on the bed, resting on his elbows.

"We're taking a train?" Dudley said once the strange pimply face man went away.

"No from the train station it's about a twenty minute walk to where were going."

Harry looked to his cousins darting eyes, it was the same fearful look he had the first time he boarded the bus, unsure of the strangeness of it. Six beds on each floor of the triple-decker bus. Talking shrunken heads hanging in the front window. The bus was noisy tonight due to the full house, caged owls squawking, the wizard in the bed next to theirs held a box that growled and shook, the movements of the bus jerking forward. Harry looked to his cousin who looked a little green around the gills.

Catching Harry's eye, Dudley nodded, swallowing deeply, "I did magic once." Dudley pulled the cricket bat closer to his body.

Harry sat up, "Really?" not sure if he believed his cousin or not.

"In Mrs. Lennon's class, remember she use to yell at me a lot for being out of my seat…"

Harry nodded, it had been a long time ago in primary school.

"She said if I got out of my seat again she would give me detention, I was in a lot of trouble then and right after that I dropped my pencil and it rolled under her desk when she was at the chalkboard. I wanted to cry and I kept thinking to the pencil come back to me, come back and the next thing I know its flying through the air right into my hands." Dudley bit his bottom lip eyeing the growling box.

"Did you tell your mum." Harry shuddered, he couldn't imagine his aunt being too happy at her own son having magic.

"No… she was always mad at you for doing strange stuff. I tried all the time after that to move stuff but it never happened again."

"You probably don't have enough magic in you to do it regularly. Only when there's a strong emotion. That's most likely why you didn't get a letter to my school." Harry slumped back down on the bed, resting on his elbows, shutting his eyes.

The rest of the trip was relatively quiet. Dudley watched every wizard and witch that ascended and descended the rattling old bus. He wasn't quite sure why he had insisted on following his cousin, it wasn't that they were close, or had ever maintained a friendship besides the cigarettes out the window. All he knew was that this year Harry Potter was different, something had changed, sadness had settled over his cousin but along with it had come a darkness that had never been there before. Harry was restless and not like last summer restless, this summer he was caged animal restless. Pacing and clawing, growling and stomping his feet.

Dudley was sure something had changed, something within his respected school year. He didn't know what but he sure as hell was going to find out, he just hoped it had nothing to do with those creatures they had encountered last summer, the ones that made his mind scream, the ones he still had nightmares about. He was just about to ask Harry when the bus gave a most terrifying bang and came to a screeching halt. All the beds lurched forward, one hitting the other, giving both boys such a jerk that it sent Dudley's cricket bat flying, bouncing off the windscreen and bouncing right back into Dudley's hand.

"Sorry sir." Harry pulled Dudley behind him as he exited the bus, thankful the window had not broke.

"Bye Neville." Stan stood on the bottom step of the purple bus waving.

Harry turned and smiled in a lopsided sort of way as the bus gave another rattle and darted off.

Harry's expression fell, looking down at his watch, it was a quarter past midnight and surprisingly he was only fifteen minutes behind schedule.

"Should I even ask why that chap keeps calling you Neville?"

Harry chuckled, "No… just don't tell him any different."

"Lets get moving." Harry dropped the sleeve of Dudley's jacket he had still been holding on to and started out.

There was more silence as the two young men made there way through the streets of a sleeping London.

Thankfully it was the middle of a workweek and the traffic was light to non-existent.

The two cousins moved through a large neighborhood of old homes, some larger then the other, all with grime on the windows and trashbins on the curve. A stereo was booming from a nearby open window as Harry wound his way through the side streets, across a deserted park and empty carpark. Cutting across a well-lit square of grass and came to a halt.

12 Grimmauld place stood before him, dark and dirty, the windows covered in grime. The paint peeling on the door. His godfathers home,

"Keep quiet," Harry whispered, pulling the bag from his back, he rummaged around for a moment finally pulling a folded parchment from within. "Take the edge of the parchment, read it, memorize it and then think about what you've read." Harry offered half of the paper to his cousin, unsure if this would even work for his muggle cousin.

Dudley read the words with little fanfare and looked up to the houses they stood before, for the first time Dudley noticed one said number eleven and the house to the right said thirteen, "But where is twelve?" the words barely out of his mouth when a battered old door appeared before him quickly followed by a wide house seemingly inflating in front of him.

"Oh," Dudley hissed, he didn't like this at all.

TBC…

Review…?


	3. Green Apple

Warning: HP/SS, JKR gets credit. Its been brought to my attention that this should be an R rating… Do you all agree?

Green Apple

By WittchWay

Dudley hoisted the cricket bat to his shoulder and followed Harry to the front door of the old house. His eyes focused on the silver serpent knocker that graced the center of the front door, ignoring chipped paint and tarnish door handles.

Harry stopped them on the stone steps, "When we enter keep quiet and don't touch anything. This is a wizards home… the most ordinary looking thing could be charmed." Harry didn't want to explain the screaming portrait of Mrs. Black nor have to explain any other possibly charmed, possessed, hexed item. He wasn't even sure why he had given in and allowed his cousin to come with him.

Harry reached for the door touching the palm of his hand to it and stepped back.

A loud series of metallic clicks and a chain rattled as the door swung open, the street lights behind them casting an eerie shadow upon the entrance hall. Harry Potter's eyes darted quickly around the room, the old fashioned gas lamps that lined the hall were lit casting an orangish glow on the threadbare carpet and peeling wallpaper. Dudley entered behind him, nearly touching him, the cricket bat raised in defense of what ever was within.

Harry gently closed the door, "Follow me and keep quiet."

He moved swiftly down the hall and then down the stairs that led to the basement kitchen. It was the far cupboard he sought. The one with the water boiler in the corner, the one that housed Kreacher, the elf that had conspired against the most noble house of Black. A House-elf that betrayed Sirius's trust. A house-elf that is a danger to the Order of Phoenix… to the side of the light.

But Harry was going to take care of that. He was going to make sure Kreacher would never, ever, betray another living soul…

Harry was down the set of wooden steps and to the door where the _threat _lived beneath the water heater but no more, tonight he would learn his rightful place, tonight he would die for his treachery.

"When I open the door I'll grab it and you hit it on the head with the bat." Harry whispered.

Dudley wanted to ask what exactly he was hitting on the head with the cricket bat but his cousin had already thrown open the door was grabbing at a ball of blankets and towels. A high pitched squeal sounded actively through the room, cursing and sputtering.

Dudley backed up as Harry grabbed the ankles of strange looking… _dog?_ He had no idea what else it could be. Lapping large ears, a snout nose, large watery eyes. Harry held it upside down by stick looking legs, his school boot crushing the hand of one thin arm, the other arm flailed wildly out at the side grabbing at anything it could.

"Hit it D…Hit it." Harry shrieked.

Dudley raised the bat fearfully, whimpering, wishing he had never come to this horrid dark house.

But before he had a chance to take a swipe at the thing it twisted sinking its long fingernails in to Harry's leg, he could feel blood draw to the surface beneath his jeans. Harry jerked its feet upward catching Kreachers' struggling leg in the face, giving himself a split lip. Gasping Harry stepped back, his leg burning, blood pouring from his lip. With a shudder he tossed the treasonous monster from him.

Kreacher landed at the foot of the old wooden stairs, he rose on shaky feet to a hunchback position, his arm out stretched before him, the elderly elf panted slightly, "half-blood…and a muggle aren't welcome in my mistresses house." he hissed, turning his back on them as if nothing had happened and moved slowly up the old stairs back to the main floor.

"Bastard….traitor, murderous bastard." Harry growled shaking with anger, he ran for the steps and bust through the door pulling the knife as he did so. The silver blade caught the flickering light of the gas lamps, Harry strode down the hall, with murderous intent and focus. A lethal gleam in his darkening green eyes. He would not leave this house with out the death he had come here to commit. He would avenge his godfathers death if it was the last thing he did. He would kill the one that had betrayed Sirius, had betrayed them all. He would kill Kreacher, the evil raged little house-elf.

Harry tackled the creature around the middle slamming them both to the ground. Sliding on the threadbare rugs they slammed loudly into an umbrella stand in the shape of a trolls foot, the dark moth eaten curtains on the side wall sprang open. Shrieks from Mrs. Black echoed down the hall, "_children of filth, horrid little traitors marring the noble house of Black…"_

But Harry didn't care, he ignored it all, "Dudley" he screamed over the portraits racket, watching his cousin skirting slowly past the open curtains and the screaming spitting portrait.

"Come here," Harry commanded, his knee in the back of the wailing house-elf, "Sit on him, hold his arms down… I want him to see me kill him…I want him to see it was I, a _Half-blood _ending his life."

Shaking Dudley dropped the cricket bat and knelt down next to his cousin, he just wanted to go home, he wished this was a horrible dream and he would wake at any minute. The blood on his cousins lip, the bloodcurdling screams from a portrait… _a portrait_… portraits were suppose to be silent, lifeless things.

Dudley sniveling he tried not to notice the shine of snakes through out the house … every where snakes, serpent chandlers, door handles…door knobs. What the hell kind of place was this? What type of people did his cousin get involved with? Perhaps his parents were right… that his cousin, that Harry Potter was a freak, along with those just like him.

Whimpering Dudley climbed on to the screaming, fighting body of the house-elf, holding the arms down, he cried out as the thing, this horrid twisted ugly little thing started banging its head on the floor, shrieking obscenities, cursing them.

His cousin had a look on his face that scared him, a look that was as dark and evil as this contaminated house. He didn't even know what he was doing here, again wishing _he could just go home._

Harry Potter moved to the head of the elf, taking its balding head between his knees he pressed the knife to the throat of the soon to be dead house-elf.

"Harry," Dudley whined, he nodded upward as his cousin looked to him.

Harry turned and looked over his shoulder, professor Snape stood in the looming darkness of the hallway. Only the shadow of his pale face shown in the night, he lowered his wand as he got a glimpse of Potters face. He moved swiftly forward them his robes rising and billowing around him.

"Is it one of them… _those _things from last summer." Dudley gagged raising off of the house-elf, ready to run.

"NO," He shrieked, "Its just my professor, don't let go." He held on to the front of his cousins shirt, "Don't move." he growled.

Snape stood over them surveying the scene playing out before him, a large muggle boy he didn't know sat on the body of the Black family house-elf, Potter had its small head between his legs, a knife to his throat.

Snape looked down at the shrieking creature, yes he had heard about what had happen just a month ago, the elf injuring the hippogriff Buckbeak to distract Sirius Black. Lying to Harry Potter, causing the boy to do something foolish and hap hazard the Gryffindor had run to save the day yet again…only it had been a trick. The elf had betrayed Potter… there for betraying Sirius Black… causing Blacks death.

It didn't matter that Black hadn't stayed put like he should have. It didn't matter that he had run to save his godson… it was the elf that had run to the Malfoy's spilling secrets but which secrets ones no one really knew. Yes this house-elf deserved death, it was a threat to them all. Its death was the discussion for many Order meetings, causing many arguments to rise up about the elf and its behavior. Of course Snape had been for its death. Not only for its betrayal but to simply put it out of its pining misery.

Snape looked down its long nose at Potter. The boy did not look well, dark circles under his eyes, though his eyes were bright and shiny at this moment, the adrenaline pumping for what he was about to do, no doubt he would crash later. He was thinner then usual, sickly thin. Pale and just a tad bit dirty looking, unkempt, unwashed.

Snape smirked, all the tell tale signs of a tired mind, a mind struggling with its thoughts, with its existence.

He had been there.

Snape rested his black boot on the forehead of the elf, ceasing its struggle, its head banging and its silence, "Make it a clean cut Potter….one swift hard movement," He whispered.

Harry blinked, looking up at his professor, his hand twitched. He hadn't expected Snape to be here, hadn't expected anyone to be here… and yet here he was. Another on his list. His mind raced to the notebook within his bag, could he possibly check off two tonight. Did he even dare?

Harry forced himself to remain calm. Forced himself to finish the task at hand…

He let go of the elf and crawled to the side opposite Snape's foot and positioned the knife… it was a much better angle to kill.

There was no hesitation, there was no flinching, the knife cut clean through skin and brittle bone.

Snape dropped his foot away as the struggle ended, he grabbed the arm of the large blond boy jerking him to his feet, "house-elf's blood is poisonous," he remarked. Potter scrambled back, squatting as the dark red blood poured from the gaping hole where the head had once sat, the blood pooled around the sole of his boots.

He watched in morbid fascination as the blood clotted suddenly and started to turn to a gel like substance instantly.

The wide eyes of the house-elf hung open and watery looking, lifeless. Harry grabbed the elf by its bat like ears with it white tufts of hair poking out. Smiling Harry walked past a shaking cousin and a indifferent professor to the stairs that led to the second floor. There a row of old plaques with smallish heads lined the wall. The heads all descendents of Kreacher the last of the house-elf's that had served the noble and most ancient house of Black.

Harry could help but note the irony, the last elf, the last Black… it hurt something fierce in his chest. A dull aching pain, he was not going to acknowledge.

Harry looked down the line of heads, the last an empty base with a gold hook in the center. Harry held a ear in each hand and with a wet suction noise he planted the head right on the base…completing the line.

Harry stared at the head, _the traitor_, the cause of Sirius's dead. No longer a threat to those within the Order, to those that Harry cared about. Harry reached up a pale shaking hand and shut the elf's eyes.

He looked a final time at the face of the elf and turned facing Snape.

Snape stood at he foot of the stairs his one arm resting casually on the banister, "Who's the boy?" he nodded toward the scene behind him.

"My cousin," Harry whispered.

"You want me to alter his memory of tonight?"

"No…"

"Come here let me clean you up." Snape raised his wand, casting a heeling charm on Potters lip and the purple bruise now raising on the boys face before he could even protest.

Harry didn't react to the slight burn that usually follows such charms, he simply lifted the hem of his pants, where Kreacher had scrapped his leg earlier. Snape cast another spell causing the blood to disappear and the cuts to scab over and vanish as well.

"How did you get here?"

"Took the knights bus."

Snape nodded, walking back toward the headless body.

Harry followed in silence, looking around Snape to where his knife lay in the circle of drying blood. _Did he dare_? His hand twitched.

"Potter," Snape sighed, running his thin finger over his lips, "I'll take care of the _remains_. You better head back home. Members of the Order will be arriving soon."

Harry wanted to protest but he also didn't want to deal with the Order just yet. He walked quickly around Snape an picked up his cleaver by the handle as he did so Snape cast a quick cleaning charm on it.

Harry nodded, there would be other opportunities to get Snape. He knew where the man was after all. No need to be hasty and to get caught and let his summers planning got o waste.

Harry placed the knife in his bag that had been kicked to the side and pulled it on to his back and stood, pulling his cousin along with him.

"What will you tell them?" he looked at Snape.

Snape smirked, "That the head was there when I arrived."

Harry didn't quite believe that and didn't think the Order would either but accepted it and turned to leave his cousin exiting the house first.

As he moved himself through the front door Snape's hand came to rest on his shoulder, he turned looking back at the man. Nearly a head taller then him.

Snape said nothing, just looked down at him with his piercing dark eyes. His pale hand drifted to the curve of the boys neck and caressed lightly. Harry shuddered at the touch, no one had ever touched him with such familiarity.

The fingers drifted to his cheek and then to the wisps of sweat drenched hair that clung to his forehead. Cold finger touched his scar for just a moment and then were gone. The spell of warmth and touches of pale fingers and dark eyes were no more. He was suddenly on the doorstep. The door closed with only the sound of his cousin retching on the street curb.

TBC

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	4. Green Apple 4

Disclaimer: full credit to JKR. Started before HBP

Green Apple

By WittchWay

Minerva McGonagall stared hard at the cup of hot tea before her, her foot tapping impatiently. It was all she could do to stop herself from pacing franticly in the small immaculate kitchen she sat in. It wasn't her idea to be sitting here at 6am on a Sunday morning. Petunia and Vernon Dursley sitting across from her, drinking their own morning cup, both looking sour and uncomfortably at her.

Though it had been no fault of her own they had been woken up. If it had been her choice she would have collected Harry Potter and left, leaving only a simple note behind.

Only Harry hadn't been home…

Nor had the Dursley's own son.

Though it seemed of little concern to them that either boy was missing….

Apparently their only concern was that she was there, sitting in their pristine kitchen, if it was because she was a fully trained witch or because they simply didn't like people in general she did not know, though she thought it was likely both.

Though it could be her blatant display of magic. Not that it was _deliberate_…

Lifting the teapot she had conjured earlier, McGonagall poured herself another cup of tea adding a lump of sugar, with her finger pointed at the spoon in the cup she said nothing just gave a wiggle of her finger and the spoon began to stir in her cup. The Dursley's both flinched, the professor suppressed a smirk.

McGonagall's eyes darted to the window that looked out to the back garden. The shadows moved, coming nearer the door.

McGonagall stood. It was a trick she had learned from one of the other professors, standing straight, her head held high, it gave her an imposing look. She only wished she had wore a black robe instead of green.

The Dursley's looked from her to the door.

"Where have you boys been?" McGonagall snapped as soon as Harry Potter walked in the door, Dudley Dursley stiffened behind him, looking slightly peaked dragging the cricket bat behind him. "I've been waiting here half the night."

"Don't you dare yell at our Dudley," Vernon Dursley barked, "Take _your _boy and leave," he nodded toward Harry.

"To true Mr. Dursley, he is not _mine _to punish or to question where he has been half the night." McGonagall narrowed her eyes taking in the dirty appearance of both boys, staring especially at the appearance of Dudley, the dried spit caked at the corner of his mouth. The brown stains of vomit on his shirt. She could only imagine what they had been up to; a late night cricket match, drinking in the local park, she remembered being young once. She remembered the adrenaline rush of being out late, the surge of energy, of defiance, Potter was nearly radiating it. His eyes wide, a small smirk on his lips… a brown stain on his pant leg.

"Potter gather your things, we will be returning to the castle this instant and change those pants."

Harry looked at the Dursley's and his cousin. He had expected them to come for him after the Order found the head of Kreacher hanging on the hallway wall with all the others of his family. He had only hoped it wouldn't be so soon. He needed time, at least a day to put in place his next _mission. _

"Yes professor," Harry gave a charming smile, going for innocent but not quite achieving it. After all it was still fresh in the professors mind that he had been missing when she arrived.

Harry clapped Dudley on the shoulder steering him toward the door. "I'll just help my cousin to bed first…" without waiting for an answer, Harry guided them both smoothly through the kitchen door and into the hall.

Harry dropped his hand as the door swung shut, giving Dudley a shove Harry brushed passed him and moved up the stairs. His cousin moving slowly behind him. He did not care about getting his cousin to bed nor the incessant whining that had been going on since they left Grimmauld Place. It was not what he wanted to hear, he currently had other things on his mind.

Mostly how he was going to lure his next victim to him…. Yes this time they… she would come to him.

Harry had to stop his self from smiling. It would be wonderful what he had planed for Bellatrix Lestange. Harry tried to shake the images from his head of Bellatrix death.

In his room Harry fingered his wand, he was half tempted to pull it and Accio all his belongings to the school trunk that sat open before him. He stood in the center of his room for a long moment toying with the idea, the idea of getting caught right there with one of his professors in the house, taking a deep breath, he knew he it would just cause more trouble than it was worth. He had to be careful right now. He could not needlessly draw attention to himself. Not with all that was going to be occurring in the next few weeks… the death of death eaters, of those that betrayed him or sought to kill him themselves, then there was the justice that he sought for his Godfathers death.

Growling in protest Harry scooped up a large pile of dirty clothes he then dropped in the trunk, kneeling next to the bed he began pulling his school books and homework out from under it. He hadn't bothered hiding them this summer. He didn't see any sense in it. They, the Dursley's, knew what he was, what he was going to school for. Why should he hide who he was, they didn't hide who they were.

Pulling a robe from the jumbled pile that was his school trunk he pulled it on, wiggling his nose at the smell. At least returning to the school would get him clean clothes courteous the schools house-elf's. Tucking his wand in his robes pocket, Harry knelt pulling up the loose floor board taking out his photo album of his parents.

Next he unlatched Hedwig's cage door. Harry held out his arm for her to perch upon. "Go to the castle girl, I'll be there shortly." he stroked her feathers lightly, taking her to the open window. She nipped affectionately at his fingers and took flight.

He watched her for a moment soaring through the air, her wingspan impressive.

He turned to see Dudley watching him in the doorway. "Problem D'?"

"They know… don't they."

Harry narrowed his eyes, "They know nothing. If they did, they wouldn't have sent a professor but an Auror, _policeman_, to arrest me… _us_." Harry moved toward him, pushing Dudley out of the room and down the hall into his own room. Once in Dudley's room Harry shut the door behind him, trying not to look at all the toys and video games in the room.

"What's wrong Dudders, I thought _murdering _a defenseless little creature would be right up your alley."

His cousin said nothing. Wouldn't even look at him.

Harry scoffed, opening the door. "Just keep your mouth shut, Dudley. I'll be contacting you if I need of your _services _again. So for now don't offer any information to anyone about what _we _did." Harry shut the door behind him only to reopen it poking his head through, "Oh, and Dudley someday soon I will become a fully qualified wizard… a wizard allowed to cast spell outside of school… I wouldn't try my patience by blabbing our secrets."

Harry shut the door silently behind him. He touched the length of the wand in his robe pocket.

Back in his own room he picked up the handle of his trunk, dragging it down the hall and down the steps. It was a slow process as he also had the owl cage in hand and the rucksack upon his back.

McGonagall was waiting in the hall for him. His uncle and aunt stood not to far off. They had been surprisingly quiet of the whole situation. It was unlike them, yet he didn't want to push it.

Harry looked between both his professor and his aunt and uncle unsure where either stood on the current situation or what either party knew of their night out. Though he doubted his relative knew much of the nights tribulations.

"Ready Potter," McGonagall pulled a set of keys out of her pocket searching through them, her fingers finally plucking free a brass colored key, oddly shaped though it was Harry instantly knew it was the portkey that would transport them to Hogwarts.

"Come quick Mr. Potter, hold tight of your trunk."

With barely a look to his aunt and uncle Harry did as he was told, he barely touched the key just as a blue light glowed from it, Harry suddenly felt the familiar pull behind his navel and the pair disappeared.

Harry Potter and Minerva McGonagall reappeared in the headmasters office with a clatter. Harry stumbled into McGonagall nearly knocking her to the ground, catching her just in time, "Sorry Professor."

Harry watched as she straightened her witches hat, "Um, professor…. How long do I have to stay here… I usually go to the burrow at the end of the summer."

She looked at him frowning, "There was an incident Potter, Dumbledore will be along in a moment to speak with you regarding it. I'd leave it up to him if you can go to the burrow."

Harry watched her leave and slumped down in one of the chairs, he had the distinct impression he would not be allowed to leave the castle, not even to go to the burrow.

Harry sat there silently looking around the office, he didn't particularly like the silence of the room, it felt as if it was penetrating his mind, it felt as if the very walls were looking at him and he didn't mean the portraits. It was something more reaching out to him, trying to touch him…

Harry sat up suddenly, Legilimency, it had to be, someone close by was attempting to enter his mind. Looking around wildly Harry made a quick attempt to block his mind but he was out of practice all he had was his anger that someone would dare attempt to enter his mind. Clamping down on his thoughts as best he could, Harry stood eyeing the door.

It was long moment that he stood there but alas the feeling came, a calm settle over him, it was a pure moment, his thoughts were easy to control, he could almost feed the thought he picked to the prying fool, he realized he finally got what Snape was trying to teach him.

But as quickly as the feeling came that someone was attempting to enter his thoughts the feeling was gone. Harry sat slowly down in his chair, touching the handle of his wand. He instantly began to doubt what he had felt. He knew his paranoia was high at the current moment. The rush he had felt earlier in the morning was over, he was coming down from the adrenaline high and was moments from crashing. All he craved at the moment was the comfort of a warm bed.

Harry sat it was a long while before the office door opened. "Hello Harry," Dumbledore said cheerfully. Though Harry noticed the smile he cast did not reach his eyes.

Dumbledore took his seat behind the massive desk picking up the tin of candies but did not take one. He fiddled with the edge of the tin, twisting and re-twisting the lid.

"Professor McGonagall tells me you weren't at home when she arrived."

Harry chewed the inside of his mouth. "Yes sir."

Looking over his half moon shaped spectacles Dumbledore waited, when no answer was forth coming he went on. "Yes, perfectly normal that, out exploring, visiting with your cousin and friends you left behind when you came to school here."

Harry nodded. Both he and Dumbledore knew that was a lie.

"Well then Harry, I do have some distressing news, the Black family house elf Kreacher has _died."_

Harry frowned, unsure what it was he was expected to say to such a half truth. Why he wasn't being told it was decapitated and its head stuck on the wall he wasn't sure. "Oh, okay…" Harry nodded, "He was quite old…"

"Yes, though its slightly more complicated than that. We believe there was a breach of security at the orders headquarter."

"Oh,"

"It's quite a serious matter Harry. The reason I'm telling you this is that your Godfather has left you the entirety of his estate. It all has become your property, the house, the gold in his Gringotts account and one house elf."

"Oh," Harry sat back staring at a place just behind Dumbledore, he hadn't been prepared for that. Hadn't been prepared for the softness of Dumbledore's words, he could see the old man was trying to protect him, to save him from a harsh blow. .. but he had reached a stage in his life where sugar coating was no longer necessary, sugar could be licked off.

Dumbledore narrowed his eyes, "Oh indeed Harry, it makes you a very wealthy wizard… I dear say the Order will have to move its headquarters though."

Harry stared out the windows, "You can still use the house if you want… I don't care." He couldn't ever imagine living there, it would always be his godfathers house.

"Thank you Harry that's very kind of you but as there was a breach of security there I can't safely let the Order to continue to meet there. I'm sure you understand."

Harry said nothing, he understood, he knew the headmaster was pushing toward something, or perhaps even knew what he had done in that house over the course of the night. But he wasn't going to let his self feel guilt over what he had done. It had been the right thing to do. He had put the trader out of his retched misery. It had been for the safety of the Order that he had done it.

"Can I stay at the burrow," he said suddenly.

Dumbledore narrowed his eyes, "No, I think the school would be best place for you. After all we wouldn't want to put the safety of the Weasley's at risk."

Harry looked innocently at Dumbledore, "Are the Weasley's safety and the breach at Headquarters connected?"

The headmaster sat back steepling his fingers before him, a small smirk on his lips. "I don't know…"

There was something left unsaid Harry Potter didn't like. Something accusatory.

Something that pointed the finger at him. Dumbledore knew, _the old man knew what he had done. _Harry was sure of it…. Snape told him. Yes Snape…. Well it was only a matter of time before Snape got was due him.

Harry was banished to Gryffindor tower a short time later with strict instructions not wander past the castle gates.

His school trunk was already at the end of his bed by the time he ascended the tower stairs.

Harry climbed onto the bed pulling the rucksack from his back pulling his folder and chocolate bar form it. He began the process of pulling rubber bands from the folder, the blue ones first the pale ones and then the reddish rubber bands. He placed each band on his wrist letting the elastic tangle and cuts into his skin, the hairs on his arm pulling as well, it should have hurt but he barely noticed the pain.

Opening the notebook, extracting a muggle pen and pencil from between it covers, he looked again at the list he had memorized, names of people he didn't trust, yet whom had done nothing to him. On the next page there was a list of people that had betrayed him, people that required revenge to be inflicted upon them, people whose punishment was just a matter of time. _Punishment_… Harry said it again, "_punishment". _

He liked that word, it was a word he could appreciated. He had been punished over the years, by his aunt and uncle, by the professors, detentions, scrubbing cauldrons, trophies. Punishment with its long boring moments of silence. Oh, he got that meaning of it, one was suppose to think of what you had done wrong. He rarely had, he use to think of how much he hated that person that was overseeing his punishment.

Harry ran his ringer down along the spiral seem of the page, picking up the red ink pen and crossed out the first name "Kreacher" he hissed. Inhaling deeply Harry smiled, he had a great sense of accomplishment with what he had done in the last 24 hours. He had gotten rid of one of the betrayers. He had eliminated the enemy with unexpected help.

"Snape," Harry ran his finger back down the page. The last name listed , Snape. It had almost been an after thought that he had added the mans name.

Harry frowned, he didn't know what to make of Snape, the way the man had touched his neck, stroked his long fingers over it, the way he had touched his cheek… that gleam of… what Harry did not know… in his eyes, something fierce.

Harry lay back in his bed, his notebook pulled to his chest… his mind racing with thoughts of Snape, Harry didn't even notice when he fell asleep.

TBC

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